Paul Urban

I officially have chosen the song “Skinny” by Song House & Emily Russell

via Spotify

Skinny – Song House & Emmy Russell (live session)

**Skinny – Emmy & Song House (Official Music Video)

 

To provide some context, this song was just released in 2023. Here is a report done from Harvard(2022) – https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/eating-disorders-in-teens-skyrocketing-during-pandemic/

This outlines the fact that eating disorders have skyrocketed during the pandemic. Published (2022), about 10 months before this song was released which was 8.21.23.

From- https://socialmediavictims.org/mental-health/eating-disorders/

“Studies show that, on average, teens spend over seven hours per day viewing videos or using social media platforms. Tweens are no exception and spend over four hours per day on their smartphones. The average age of smartphone ownership has also dropped. In 2019, over two-thirds of children owned a smartphone by the age of 12, up from only 41% in 2015.”

Social media is a huge part of all of our lives, and this new age group of teens. Social media heightened eating disorders. So many more teens are gaining access to smartphones and having them at much younger ages. This leads to the growth of social media and dependence/addiction to smartphones. Heightened social media usage and accessibility are great in some ways however there are many concerns that may not have been realized at first. Psychological changes take place in teens every day, this is when your brain is developing and growing the most, so for it to be stunted and heavily involved in media definitely has its negative effects.

Constant and consistent ads, videos, movies, pictures, and posts promoting the same beauty standards over and over. For women, this is often slim, not too tall, curvy, dresses in nice clothing, perfect teeth, and glowing skin. For men this may be tall, muscular, with no acne, no blemishes, standing upright, looking clean and professional. These portrayals and images are often pampered people, with makeup, looking their best, feeling their best, heck these images often photoshopped and airbrushed. Increased usage and accessibility to social media, cause advertisements and marketing to be even more deceiving, manipulative, and present, while it obviously leaves more children susceptible to these fake personas.

Overall, at this time, and in the past decade, eating disorders have steadily increased.

The artist, Emmy Russell, constructed the lyrics and wrote this song herself, based on her own personal experiences. It helps a lot to hear from someone who actually lived through these issues. She made the song, and took it to “song house”, which helped her produce the music video and live session versions, applicable to social media and very touching. What we get from a person who lived through this are unique lyrics and bone-chilling ones at that, that deeply touch the audience. For example, Emmy opens the song with

“Haven’t eaten in days

God, I hate how You made me

So scared to confess

Been so hard to undress lately”

These words ring so true to anyone who struggles with an eating disorder, show the true mental battle they endure.

This song is so needed. It just came out, it’s not famous or well-known, just like eating disorders. 

We need this. It gives so many struggling in silence, a voice, a sense of feeling no longer vulnerable. The genre is simply, relating to everyday life, relating to this tough society and looking to provide perspective and help on it. It is a cry out of her life story, and to show she is no longer vulnerable, get this personal battle off her chest and share it to empower and inspire everyone else. Speaks to the multitudes that are suffering in silence, every day.

“It’s funny what people say

It’s been with me since seventh grade

You’re a pretty face, just drop the weight

So at my birthday party, I skipped the cake

‘Cause

And I just wanna be (I just wanna be)

And I just wanna be (I just wanna be)

And I just wanna be

(Skinny, skinny)

Skinny, skinny, skinny

(Skinny)”

This shows what one person says, or one idea you have of how a “pretty woman” is supposed to look, alters your whole life. She recalls being told she has a pretty face but needs to drop the weight. So then at her 7th grade party she skipped the cake. Cake may make her happy and she loves it to celebrate a birthday, however wants to fit a certain role, so chooses to skip it.

She critiques the way people make you feel, and proves one little thing someone says can be so hurtful.

Crys out that she just wants to be skinny and that God should not have made her like this, vulnerable and with what she was told (by culture, friends and social media) was a bad one. Well no bodys are bad, and god makes everyone in his image and likeness so ??

Talks about her own protest with her mirror, why does she care so much about what her mirror says and so obsessed with her mirror. All it tells her is she’s not enough and puts her in a negative light, perspective, and mood.

“Why am I in love

With a mirror that says

You’re not enough? (You’re not enough)

Why am I in love (Am I in love)

With a mirror that says (That says)

You won’t measure up?

No, you’re not my friend

You’re making me sick and I’m breaking up with

Skinny

You’re a liar (You’re a liar)

You’re a liar for saying that I’ll never be

Pretty, pretty

‘Cause I’m not skinny, skinny”

Protests beauty standards. It’s a liar and messes with your head.